EMBARKING ON A NEW LANDSCAPING PROJECT?

Where to start, what to budget and why to invest in good planning at the start…

We understand how daunting it can be at the ideas end of a landscaping project. Particularly with social media surrounding us constantly with beautiful inspiring images of manicured, finished gardens from all over the world - often developed with budgets that are beyond our reach.

It is easy to get stuck at inspiration stage… scrolling, saving, bookmarking, pinning, learning... and stalling at some common questions.

How much will I need to spend? Is my budget enough? Should I invest part of my budget in a designer to support me through the process? Then if so, who do I choose, how much should I invest in design, and will they give me a design I actually like? or even love? Surely I do this myself? My friend/brickie/gardener knows a bit about landscaping - will they give me the right advice to put a full design together?

Then more at design stage…

How do I fit all these incredible ideas into my space? Will I need a gardener to manicure this garden monthly to get it to look like that? Am I making the most use of my space? Have I considered the pitfalls and loop holes, and will I need to change my design when I get to install because I have forgotten something?

In this blog, we are going help to get you started!

Part 1 - Where to start and how to choose a LANDSCAPE designer

(well that should be simple…choose us of course!).

From there we will send you over to our next blog which talks a bit more about what it is about a professional design process that works, results in that dreamy end result you are after, AND saves you money.

STEP 1: When to hire a Landscape Designer?

If you are building or renovating, the best time to start talking to a landscape designer is at the start of the planning process. The inside and outside of your home are equally important to create your ideal lifestyle, so it is important to ensure you have enough budget put aside (and guarded well) for your landscaping. I will save this for another blog another day, however know that the input from a landscape designer will guide some important decisions when you are at the early stages of planning the design of your home.

If you are wanting to give an existing garden new life, start talking to a designer early. Your designer can help guide you through those first hurdles and give you a clear path forward. They may suggest ideas for other works that need completing first, for logistical planning and a cohesive end result. Even if you still have some decisions to make before you are ready to start butting out your design, having a knowledgeable professional with design and construction experience on your team will help along the way.

STEP 2: Where to find a Designer that you can trust

Finding a Landscape Designer can be daunting. It can be difficult to know what the output is going to be before you begin, and the quality of design and service between designers is variable.

Personal referrals through your local community is a reliable source. Builders will also have recommended designers, who they are confident produce quality work from a technical perspective.

You can also search for an accredited local designer on LDIs website for a well qualified and experienced designer who has a portfolio that you love. (This is our Landscape Design Institute - to become a Professional Design member, designers must possess a high level of skill based on qualifications, experience and knowledge)

To book a call or design consult with me, click here and I will send you some information on what is included in our consults and pricing.

STEP 3: Expect to invest a good amount in quality design.

But how much does a landscape design cost?

Designs and Designers vary in their pricing.

Depending on the size and complexity of your project, you can expect to pay from $4000 to $9000 for a quality landscape design. More complex designs may be $10,000 and up. A minimum of 5-10% of the build cost is fairly accepted across the industry.

There is no advantage at all to saving money on a low cost design, if it is not going to give you the garden that works for you. Costs simply blow out at install stage so it can be a false saving.

When budget is a concern, a designer who is on your side will help you negotiate pricing at install, suggest alternative materials or install methods to reduce cost with less compromise to the final outcome and help work through install logistics and priorities to minimise cost.

The design you receive guides the long term outcome of all the work and investment that follows. So it is important that you feel confident in it, you understand it, and it results in a garden that you love and optimises your space.

I have never come across a client who regretted investing time and money with us at the planning stage of their project.

As with building design, good quality landscape design is worth investing in, and will pay for itself in the long run by preventing costly mistakes, miscommunications, variations during or after install, and reworking aspects of the build that just don’t quite work for you.

The skills required to design an outdoor space are broad, ever changing, and take specialist training, time and experience to master, so it is important to invest in this. Experienced designers will, and should, have a higher hourly rate, as this enables us to produce work at a higher standard, more thorough and clearer for the installer to avoid misunderstandings.

STEP 4: How do I choose a landscape designer?

Look at the quality of each designers’ reviews, and talk to other people you know who have completed projects - personal recommendations are often the best.

Choose someone that you enjoy talking to, a designer who is qualified, experienced, and has worked directly with installers to understand the technical aspects to design. Choose a designer who shows that they listen to you, will communicate clearly with you, and bat for you. Your designer should be adaptable and be able to design in your style and with a goal to improve your lifestyle.

Book in a phone call with a few designers to see who you click with, and invest in a design consultation with one or two to get a feel for their design process and attention to detail. Expect to pay between $250-600 for a garden design consultation, depending on the skill level and inclusions. You should at the very least walk away with a sense of “This is really possible” , a way forward, and some fresh ideas.

STEP 5: What is the first step to the landscape design process? Before starting the design, you will need to develop a design brief with your designer - this should be both visual (using Pinterest and styling boards as tools) as well as clearly outlined so you both understand the scope of the design. Start with which areas are to be designed, and what features it must include. Then move onto styling, plants and creative ideas.

STEP 6: Give your designer a clear spending limit for your project.

But what should I budget for my landscaping project? Your spending limit is not what you think the garden project will/should/might cost. Instead, it is an amount that you, personally, could comfortably invest in this lifestyle change. Lifestyle is what is ultimately important - a designer who is on your side, will help you make smart design choices to get the most bang for your money - your final spend will impact this as well as your final design.

Bearing in mind that landscaping will increase the value of your home, spending 5-10% of your property value on a landscaping upgrade is a good calculation to base budget on. Costs will be heavily influenced by the type and quality of materials and finishes - which your designer can advise on. Features will also have an impact such as built structures, pools, built-in outdoor kitchens, retaining etc.

For short term house flipping, focus more on features that increase property value without overcapitalising. If you are planning to live in your home for the long term however, then there is added value in your lifestyle change so budgeting a higher amount and investing in finishes you love is worthwhile.

STEP 7: Giving input and feedback to your designer. How much input should I give to my Designer? Your designer may come back with one or more concept ideas. The more feedback you can give to your designer, about their initial ideas, the more you are going to love your final design. You may be wary of kerbing a designers creativity, however it is important for early input from our clients so that we understand the intricacies of the space that only you know. With the endless number of options for your garden, our goal is to inject our creativity around a framework that suits your lifestyle.

STEP 8: Once your design is complete, you will receive a set of landscape plans. Depending on the design package you agreed to, your landscape plans should be detailed enough to give to an installer to quote and plan your installation. More intricate, built features may require working construction drawings, for sign off by an engineer and/or for planning/building approvals - these are generally completed by your builder and factored into their construction contract.

STEP 9: Involve your designer in the installation process. A close and positive relationship between your designer and builder can avoid misunderstandings and rogue design changes. As an independent designer, we can hand over the design to your builder, negotiate pricing and design tweaks that may reduce their costs, and liaise directly with them when questions or problems arise. We bat for you and support you through beyond the design.

Part 2 - Why invest in a QUALITY GARDEN DESIGN?

Click here to get started - lets chat about your project!